Was it a Dream?
by Bob Da Peach
Summary: Conflicting memories and recent losses cause an already unstable mind to start doubting everything too prematurely for the game to be fun.


Thunder crashed and boomed sending heavy tremors throughout the surrounding landscape just as lightning tore the sky, brief flashes lighting up the long abandoned houses below. One figure alone sat on the rooftop, frowning up at the heavens as his companions slept on unawares and oblivious to the turmoil that wracked his soul.

Cloud Strife of Nibelheim, kept his company to himself as stray memories plagued his every thought. Truly, none of them had any reason for being in the ancient city any longer, their loitering merely delaying the inevitable as Sephiroth was still far ahead of them in their travels. But the group needed time to recover, they had lost one of their own and the feeling of loss the flower girl had left behind resonated deeply inside each party member.

Tilting his head back, the blond felt the first droplets of many make impact with his upturned face, unlike the others his mind was not on the loss of Aeris, instead, in his hands, he clutched an old and tattered photograph, taken when he had been in Nibelheim five years prior.

Proof of his memories, assuring the doubts that haunted him were nothing but that. Returning his attention the Polaroid he ran his fingers over first Tifas face, then Sephiroths, pausing a moment to frown darkly at his former friend and companion.

_WRONGSuperiorGODStrangerHope __**REUNION**_

Gasping as the muddled thoughts threw his own off key and off balance, he couldn't help but groan as a _tuggingfeelingwant__**need**_ assaulted him. His own face flickering in the photograph until it seemed his bland expression was smiling back at him and his eyes, his always blue eyes were darker and his hair, his hair was longer, different _browner_. But none of that was right, he was blond, he was shorter he had _blue _eyes. Growling in frustration, he thrust the picture away, watching as it fluttered down from the height of the roof to the ground fair below.

Deep chuckling finally alerted him to another presence even as he lunged to his feet and had his sword raised and ready to fight, but as he turned to the sound of the noise, his body _sangneededtickled _and suddenly he was wrapped in a wing, black feathers breaking from their brethren and falling to the ground. Strong hands held his wrist, stopping him from swinging his mighty sword and pushing his captor off, even as his body _cravedwantedrelished _the contact between them.

"My my little puppet, so feisty and yet so broken." The heavy timber voice breathed next to his ear, tightening its grip on his wrist until he was forced to drop his weapon with a pained groan.

"You know" He mused, "I could just break you now my puppet, take mothers revenge and destroy this pathetic world."

Squirming violently in his hold, Cloud succeeded in freeing a trapped arm, using its freedom to elbow his captor in the stomach, the momentary flinch was enough to tear from his entrapment and stumble a few steps away, gaining freedom of his limbs he turned to stare at his nemesis defiantly even as his body betrayed him by swaying foreword with that _needwantlonging._

"I want ever let you!" Cloud growled, fighting his body for control.

The other noticed the blonde's struggle immediately and let out a sardonic chuckle.

"I could destroy you easily puppet, you and everyone one of your little_ friends" _He sneered the last word, as if were something dirty he had put his hand on, "but where would the fun in that be? No I think it would be much more fun to toy with you all a little longer…that is at least until I've run out of use for you all…"

Wishing he had his weapon in his hand instead of lying on the ground between the two of them, Cloud took an angry step foreword.

"Selfish bastard! We're not your toys! We will destroy you and make you pay for all you've done!"

Outright laughter followed this comment, causing Cloud to sway in confusion, what was so funny? He'd just threatened to kill the man.

"Puppet, you truly are amusing" He murmured whilst shaking his head despairingly, "Yes, little puppet, I am a 'Selfish Bastard', but I am not alone in this right, don't fool yourself into thinking you do this for others, or that you care for these so called friends of yours, you are mine to play with", he admonished, as if talking to a small child.

Frowning angrily at the man in front of him Cloud shook his head, "of course I care! These are my friends!"

"No little puppet, these are your tools, just as you are mine, just as broken and in need of an owner as you yourself. Have they done nothing more but complete the tasks you have set for them? Sacrifice themselves on you whims?"

Shaking his in both anger and confusion, Cloud swayed on the spot, caught between conflicting emotions.

"Now now puppet, don't strain that pretty little head of yours, you weren't made for thinking, just for following orders"

Growling angrily Cloud didn't reply in words, instead opting to lunge for his blade and charge at his enemy, his enemy who just stood there smiling smugly.

'_Stop.'_

And he did, that voice reverberated in his head, causing every single muscle to freeze in place and his blood pump in excitement as his body _sangrejoiced_ and being called.

Eyes widening in fear, Cloud found that he could still mouth his mouth, with a bit of effort.

"What?—What did you do?" He gasped past numbed senses.

Cruel laughter followed his confused question as the other approached his prone form.

"Why little puppet, I'm just playing with what's mine." Reaching his target, he ran a gloved hand along the captured boys face causing him to shudder in _disgustlongingneed, _in that moment though the rain finally eased, causing the man to glance to the sky and smile wryly.

"But it seems, playtime is over. Mother doesn't like me gone for too long little puppet."

Turning on his heel Cloud's _EnemyNemesisGodCompanion__**Sephiroth**_ walked away.

Pausing on the edge of the roof, he turned one last time to look at his puppet, smirking he nodded once before his wing once again unfurled and vaulted him into the sky.

'_Goodbye my little puppet, now I think you should rest'_

Voice reverberating through his head once again, Cloud's entrapped body slumped forward and toppled to the ground, eyes drifting shut to surrender the body to sleep.

'_Dream well, little puppet.'_

**"Was it a dream?"**

* * *

**AN: **Once again another drabble based off of a 30 Seconds to Mars song, Was it a Dream.

I liked how this came out, even if characters were a little OOC, I'd love to know what people think of this since it is just me spitting out a random plot line. Depending on the responses I get I might be convinced into writing another chapter for this, but once again it all depends on that review count!!

Read and Review!!

PS. I am Australian, so any spelling differences you may find you just might have to deal with since we do tend to have a different dictionary than America.


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